Abby Jones likes to Stir
Halfway up Brixton Hill, you will find Stir Coffee. Open every day, it’s a great place to escape from busy Brixton and grab a sandwich, afternoon cake, tea or, if you’re feeling a bit Saturday afternoon-ish, a craft beer. And, of course, their coffee is excellent; sourced and served with just the right amount of barista intel.
Since it opened its doors some four years ago, Brixton has flowed right through them, and it has now become a little community in itself. Everything is sourced from independent retailers, which is refreshing, and it stands for keeping prices reasonable. The music is always good, staff always friendly, and there’s almost always a dog to stroke. Plus, you never know who you might end up having a chat with while you wait for your cuppa.
The coffee. House roasters are Mission Coffee, a 40/60 Peru/Brazil blend and there is a regular guest single origin espresso. At the moment they are using a natural Ethiopian Boji from Outpost Coffee in Nottingham. According to Stir’s Anton, “As for handbrew we have at least 10 different beans in the building that are also available to buy. If you’re lucky I also have a private stash that I’ve been known to tap into.”
You can share a table, take a window seat, or opt for a more private enclave in the back room if you’re having a serious chat/hangover. It has all the trimmings of a good coffee shop, pretty flowers and little antiques are scattered about, food is served on plates that you want to steal, bags of coffee are propped up on a ladder against the wall, and it has just the right amount of bare brick and distressed walls, to keep the shabby-chic charm.
The food offering covers sandwiches made with fluffy sourdough, toasties, brioche buns housing a range of delights, sweet treats, from delicate croissants to sturdy brownies, you get the vibe. It’s fresh, tasty, straight up, instagrammable – it ticks all the boxes.
You can come here with a book (or pick one up on the book swap shelf), to get some caffeine on the way to work, or to make this your workplace for the afternoon. Come with your mates, the kids, your pooch, or like me, on your tod, just to get warm for a bit.
Caffeinating conversations and good thoughts from 7am to 5pm, Monday – Sunday, and keeping up the good vibes of Brixton Hill.
Anton, who set up and runs Stir Coffee, has his finger in a few other community pies that all that promise to keep celebrating Brixton. His next venture, Ashby’s Local Store, will be opening soon, as an alternative to the supermarket, to get your groceries. It will be just up the hill, keep your eyes peeled for that one.
111 Brixton Hill, SW2 1AA | stircoffee.co.uk | instagram.com/stir_coffee
